Pavel Zhuravlev, the best Ukrainian kickboxer has a very successful career with 81 professional kickboxing matches under his belt including 69 impressive wins as well as a long list of amateur matches. ‘The Caiman’ defeated big names like Gökhan Saki, Benjamin Adegbuyi, Ismael Londt, Sahak Parparyan and many more. Zhuravlev is now part of Glory’s roster and FFC light heavyweight champion who is still marching forward despite being 33 years old. It seems like he has not reached the peak of his career yet.

Croatian fighting sports fans saw Zhuravlev for the first time on the big stage at K-1 WGP Finals in 2013 at Zagreb Arena where he fought his way to semi-finals. In Tokyo he defeated Brazil’s Saul Cavalari in the 16-man-tournament, then he defeated Romania’s Catalin Morosanu and got to fight with Mirko Cro Cop in semi-finals. Cro Cop won, but Pavel was not disappointed. It was the biggest success of his career together with winning Superkombat GP.

However, disappointment did follow. Zhuravlev is one of those fighters who are still waiting for his K-1 fighter purse and the money he earned in the ring. K-1 never paid him his $50.000 as envisaged by the contract. Zhuarvlev tried to get in contact with leaders of this once legendary promotion, but without success. He is not sure whether he would ever get his money, but he revealed to Fight Site that he will not give up.

“Why would I give up? I earned this money with my blood and I never got paid. I did two matches in the same evening, I fought the world’s best fighters and I spent a lot of time preparing for this K-1 WGP Finals. Every time you enter the ring against an opponent such as Mirko Filipović, you risk your life. And for something like that you expect to get paid accordingly,“ said Zhuravlev and added that it is shameful and scandalous.

“This is simply shameful. We’re talking about promotion that used to symbolize the entire sport. I don’t understand those people don’t feel embarrassed. They hide and don’t answer their phones. I tried to contact K-1 in different ways. I phoned them and sent them e-mails. I never got an answer. They never even apologized they didn’t pay me.”

Pavel’s additional disappointment comes from the fact that ever since he was kid he had always dreamed of fighting at K-1 WGP Finals in the famous ring that saw victories of his heroes like Ernesto Hoost, Mark Hunt and Remy Bonjasky.

“I am extremely disappointed by the fact that I’ve been tricked by such a famous promotion. K-1 has always been my main goal. It’s a legendary kickboxing promotion that stands for the sport of kickboxing itself. This what they did is shameful. They never told us why we never got the money. They just disappeared.”

Despite the fact that the Finals took place three years ago, Zhuravlev will not give up.

“K-1 President Mike Kim promised to pay $50.000 in March 2013. It’s been three years since then and now it would be miracle to get that money. But I believe in miracles and I believe I will get that money. I’m not in contact with anyone from K-1,” concluded Zhuravlev.

Despite the huge money K-1 owes to the participants of World Grand Prix Finals, K-1 decided to come back to Southeast Europe. They are to hold K-1 WGP Euro in Belgrade, Serbia, on October 23 and they announced a new event in Tuzla, Bosnia and Herzegovina, in December. One of the fighters who never got paid by K-1 is also Bosnia’s famous Dževad Poturak. He already called his fellow fighters to boycott the entire event via his Facebook profile until the 2013 semi-finalists do not get their salaries.